Crests and Troughs

I rely upon the only remnant of my high school physics course that still resonates with me, other than the obvious forces that occur around us every day, as a pattern of life. I was introduced to the concept of crests and troughs as they applied to sine waves…truly boring stuff. The crest is the maximum part of the wave, and the trough consequently is the minimum. It’s part of the cycle. Of course the scientists who first identified this theory drew their reference from the sea, and how it ebbs and flows. As a coastal dweller, I envision the ocean’s crests and troughs rather than a sine wave because, well, I couldn’t really tell you what a sine wave is. If it wasn’t obvious, I got a C- in that physics class . It occurred to me one day that life is a lot like the ocean, or a sine wave, for you left brained folks. As I’ve traveled my life, I’ve seen a series of ups and downs, and not just in my own, but in the lives of those I know and love. I’ve come to believe that life itself is a series of waves, of crests and troughs. We’re always going to have highs and lows, and it’s how we surf the wave, manage our way through and maximize our time at the crest that defines us, and our happiness. On the flip side, we have to also lessen and mitigate our time in the troughs. They’re going to happen, it’s life after all. But how we battle adversity is also a defining factor, and sometimes I think it’s a better indicator of our character. I find myself, as I’m sure we all do, seeking the perfect balance. Lessening the gap between the highs and lows…but not too much though, as I truly think we need both to keep us feeling all of life. If we eliminate the crests and troughs completely, all that’s left is a flat line…

Minimize and Maximize Friends, as it works for you,

Mike